


Pohutukawa

by QueenThayet



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas traditions, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 09:46:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13074279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenThayet/pseuds/QueenThayet
Summary: Pohutukawa: From Maori; A tree with red flowers and silver leaves native to New Zealand, often called a New Zealand Christmas Tree.Or, How Arthur and Eames got a new Christmas tradition.





	Pohutukawa

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brookebond](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brookebond/gifts).



“Oh come on, are you telling me you’ve never spent Christmas somewhere it wasn’t cold?”

“No, but it’s just wrong,” Arthur insisted, stubbornly. 

“Then why did you agree to a job in New Zealand in December?” Eames asked. 

“It paid really well,” Arthur admitted. 

“Ah, so your insistence on the sanctity of Christmas traditions only goes as far as your pocketbook? You’re a regular old Ebenezer Scrooge there,” Eames teased. 

“Shut up,” Arthur returned. 

“So if we weren’t working, how _would_ you be spending Christmas?” Eames asked, idly. 

“Probably at home in Connecticut.”

“With family?”

“My sister comes up to visit usually,” Arthur said, giving Eames a suspicious look. He wasn’t sure why Eames was asking all these questions. 

“So you like a nice traditional white Christmas then, tree, carols, goose?” Eames said, ignoring Arthur’s suspicion. 

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Arthur said defensively. “Anyway, I thought you Brits were all about a traditional Christmas.” 

“Petal, I was in Mombasa last Christmas and Australia the year before that. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a traditional Christmas.” 

“It doesn’t matter, it just seems odd to be wearing shorts at Christmas, that’s all.” Arthur rolled his eyes, wanting to be done with this conversation. 

Eames gave Arthur’s tailored trousers a pointed look, but didn’t say anything. 

“Okay well, odd to see other people wearing shorts.” 

“Everyone has their own Christmas traditions, the ones here are quite lovely too,” Eames said and then let the subject drop. 

***

Arthur had completely forgotten about their earlier conversation when Eames pulled him out the door a week later. 

“What are you doing?” Arthur asked grumpily. 

“I thought we might have lunch,” Eames said breezily, clearly hiding something. 

“Is there any reason we can’t eat the salads _we brought for lunch_ that are in the fridge?” 

“Other than the fact that you hate salad and eating it makes you angry?” Eames asked.

“Yes, aside from your weird and inaccurate assessment of my feelings on salad,” Arthur said, fondly rolling his eyes at Eames’ ridiculousness. 

“I think that’s a pretty good reason, if you ask me. You should eat food that makes you happy,” Eames yammered on. 

“I can tell you’re trying to distract me, you’re not actually fooling me, so why don’t you just tell me where you’re luring me off to, Mr. Eames. I assume you're not trying to abduct me, or murder me, so you might as well just tell me.” 

"You're very trusting," Eames teased.

"Only for you," Arthur said, semi-seriously. 

“You’ll just have to look behind you,” Eames said, putting his hands on Arthur’s shoulders to turn him around. 

Arthur turned and looked. They seemed to be at some sort of a park. He saw a large, wide tree with lovely red flowers. Nearby was a picnic table and a grill, and standing awkwardly near the table, wearing a Santa hat, was his sister. 

“Ellen?!?” Arthur said, his jaw dropping. 

“Hey big brother,” Ellen said, running up to give him a hug. 

“What are you doing here?”

“Well I got a phone call from your boyfriend here asking if I wanted to spend Christmas with you in New Zealand. Of course, I said ‘of course,’ and next thing I knew I was on a plane flying here.”

“Eames isn’t my boyfriend,” Arthur corrected automatically. 

“Life partner, whatever,” Ellen rolled her eyes. Eames burst out laughing next to them. 

“Sorry, she looks _just_ like you when she rolls her eyes. I’ve never seen that level of disdain from anyone else before,” Eames chortled. Arthur glared at him. 

“Stop flirting and come over here and start the grill,” Ellen ordered. “I just spent eighteen hours on a plane and I’m _starving_!”

Eames grinned at her and did as she ordered. Arthur followed him.

“Did you tell my sister you were my boyfriend?” he asked. 

“I said no such thing, I just called her and asked if she wanted to come down here to spend Christmas with you.” Eames said innocently. 

“Who else would do such a thing?” Arthur smirked, shaking his head. “So why did _you_ do all this?”

“You were missing your traditional Christmas, so I decided to give you a traditional New Zealand Christmas! We’re barbecuing and picnicking under a New Zealand Christmas tree! I tried to get a Santa in swim trunks and sunglasses to come so you could sit on his lap, but the guy who responded to my advert seemed to think it was a different sort of gig, if you know what I mean.” Eames waggled his eyebrows at Arthur as he reached down to light the grill. 

“Oh my god,” Arthur felt his face go red at the thought of showing up to find his sister and an escort Santa. 

“Right, so I paid him and sent him on his merry way, no pun intended,” Eames said. 

“Smart decision,” Arthur said. 

“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Eames teased. 

“Consider it your Christmas present,” Arthur said dryly. He couldn’t help smiling though. He couldn’t believe that Eames had gone to all this effort for him, to give him Christmas. 

Eames reached up to the tree and plucked one of the spiky red flowers and then handed it to Arthur. 

“Merry Christmas, darling,” Eames said, smiling softly. 

“Oh my god, you’re so gross!” Ellen yelled encouragingly. 

“Hush, you!” Arthur yelled back before leaning forward to kiss Eames.


End file.
